# NTSB CEN15LA066: MD Helicopter MD 900, N902LC, Highlandville, MO, November 27, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 26, 2014, 23:21 local (Nov 27, 2014, 05:21 UTC) - Place: Highlandville, MO - Coordinates: 36.929729, -93.279228 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9297&lon=-93.2792&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 9, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards, Air Methods Corp. - NTSB case key (mKey): 90458 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15LA066 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90458/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA066 ## Probable cause The pilot's inability to identify the power line during the initial approach in night visual meteorological conditions and his subsequent failure to avoid the power line once he identified it on final approach. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [MD Helicopters MD 900, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=3030004), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md) - [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [MD Helicopters MD 900, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=3030004), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [MD Helicopters MD 900, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=3030004), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: wire](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [MD Helicopters MD 900, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md?model=3030004), [All aircraft, 588 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022032/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [MD Helicopters MD 900, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=3030004), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Approach: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [MD Helicopters MD 900, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=3030004), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was executing an off-airport landing during night visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that he had completed two orbits of the area and had selected a large nearby field as the landing site. As the helicopter descended to about 20 ft above ground level, the pilot observed a set of power lines paralleling the helicopter's flightpath that he had not identified during the initial orbits of the landing area. He attempted to move the helicopter left to avoid the power lines, but the main rotor blades inadvertently struck one of them. The pilot maintained control of the helicopter and landed it safely. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to three of the main rotor blades. The remaining two rotor blades sustained minor damage. The pilot did not report any failures or malfunctions with the helicopter before impacting the power lines. ## Factual narrative On November 26, 2014, about 2321 central standard time, a McDonnell Douglas model 900 helicopter, N902LC, was substantially damage when the main rotor blades struck a power line during landing near Highlandville, Missouri. The pilot was executing an off-airport landing to a field in order to pick-up a patient at the time of the accident. The pilot sustained minor injuries; the two medical crew members were not injured. The helicopter was registered to the Lester E Cox Medical Centers and operated by Air Methods Corporation under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 as an air medical flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was operated on a company visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from the Cox Medical Center facility in Springfield, Missouri, about 2310. The pilot reported that he had completed two orbits of the accident scene and selected a large nearby field as the landing site. Using the helicopter search and landing lights, the pilot identified a pole at the southeast corner of the field with wires running toward the north. However, about 20 feet above ground level, he identified a second set of power lines paralleling the helicopter's flight path. He observed those power lines in his peripheral vision from under the night vision goggles. He attempted to move the helicopter to the left to avoid them, but the main rotor blades inadvertently struck one of the lines. The pilot maintained control and landed safely. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to three of the main rotor blades. The remaining two rotor blades sustained minor damage. Debris from the power line struck and broke the pilot's door window. The pilot did not report any failures or malfunctions with the helicopter before impacting the power lines. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N902LC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N902LC), registered now, S/N 900-00118, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MD HELICOPTER INC MD 900 - Registry model: [MD Helicopters MD 900](https://openairdocs.org/model/md-helicopters-md-900) (registry code 3030004) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207E](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pw207e) (registry code 52161, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 900-00118 - Year built: 2007 - Airframe hours: 3110 - Engines: P&W CANADA PW207E 572 horsepower turbo shaft; P&W CANADA PW207E 572 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Air Methods Corporation - Registered owner: Lester E Cox Medical Centers - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 12, 2014, 10 hours before - Departed: Springfield, MO - Destination: Springfield, MO - Flight plan: Company VFR - Equipment: Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 16, 2014; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 8,271 total, 632 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 330° at 16 knots, gusting 25 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,700 ft broken - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: SGF, 20 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20141126021509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141126021509A), Nov 26, 2014: Md Helicopter Inc MD 900, Highlandville, MO, Substantial damage. This aircraft was attempting to land in an open field to pick up a passenger that was involved in a vehicle accident and transport the patient to the hospital.… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.